Gauging apparatus



Aug. 21, 1956 M. SAYLOR 2,759,609

' GAUGINC APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i m a I Jffirr 7 y hwwrz/di hwdarr/ Aug. 21, 1956 M. SAYLOR GAUGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19 1951 Aug. 21, 1956 M. SAYLOR 2,759,600

GAUGING APPARATUS I Filed Dec. 19, 1951 'a Sheets-Shee 5 United States Patent '0 GAUGING APPARATUS Murray Saylor, Royers'ford, Pa., assignor to Diamond Glass Company, Royersford, Pa a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 19, 1951, Serial No. 262359 '6:Claims. (Cl.I209-.88)

'The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in bottle gaugingapparatus and more particularly to apparatus operable to determine whether or not the opening in a bottle or other container is the proper size and also todeter-mine if the neck ofthe bottle is vertical. 7

In the manufacture of containers of glass and iothei' moldable or cast materials, it is necessary that the 1mternal neck diameter of the containers conform to predetermined standards and also that the opening through thesneckof the container be vertical. This is particularly true when the container is to be filled by an automatic Ffilling machine as the tube of the vfilling .rnachinemust have free and easy access within the containerzopening. For example, the container is formed in a casting --machine and while it is still very hot, it isremoved from thecasting machineand placed in an annealing lehr or oven to be annealed. The annealing process ,is long .and expensive, and it is .Wasteful both of timeandmoney to permit imperfect containers to pass .throughthe annealing .lehr. Accordingly, it is desirable to inspect .or gauge thecontainers after they leave the castingdmachine and before they enter the annealing lehr. Prior to :the present invention, .this inspection ,has been performed by manually inserting a gauge into theopeningof every container and visually inspectingthe containers-toidetermine whether or not the neck :of thecontainer is .truly vertical. The time and labor required for .this manual inspection procedure adds considerably to .the .cost of producing thecontainers.

With .the foregoing in mind, the ,principalobject of the ,present invention is to provide novel bottle rgauging apparatus which -is.operable to predeterminedly position a bottle relative tothe gauging apparatus and automatically .insert a plug of predetermined.diameterintothe bottle opening in .order to determine whether tor-.not ,the opening conforms to the required standard.

Another objectof the present .inventionis .to;,provide novel gauging apparatus of the-type described WhiChZiS operable to .determine Whetherornot the neck Ofthe bottle is accurately or trulyvertical.

.A further object of thepresentinvention is.to,pro vide novel gauging apparatus of the character set forthwhich .is operable automatically toreject bottles which .do not conform to the required standards.

These and other objects .of..the .presentinventionzand vthe variousfeatures and details of the operation .and.con- .struction thereof .are hereinafter more fully setiorth and described withreferenceto the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional .view through .th erbott-le .,gauging.apparatus illustrating a bottle' positionedbeneath the testing apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of bottle gauging .apparatus made inaccordance with the presenttinvention; Fig. 3 is-a sectional viewtaken On line 3-3, Fig. .2, illustrating the means for positioning the bottles vbeneath .ztheygauging apparatus;

' apparatus.

1 ice Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the ware positione'r ,an'cl 'r'ej'ecte'r;

Fig. 5 is a {perspective view of the .plug gauge used for testing thebottle opening;

'Fi g. ,6 'is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the plugga'uge in ,position in .a bottle which meetsthe neces sary standards;

vFig. .7 ,is a fragmentary sectional .view illustrating .the plug gauge attempting to entera bottle having'a restricted neck openin and Fig. :8 is ..a fragmentary sectional view illustratingrthe plug gauge attempting to enter a bottle having a neck WhlChrlS not vertical.

Gauging apparatus made in accordance with the :present invention is :designed to :be positioned intermediate of va bottle casting machine and -an annealing oven. ,As the bottles or other objects to {be tested are removed from the castingmachine, they :are placed on a .conveyor at predetermined, intervals and carried by the conveyor ;to the gauging apparatus where they are momentarily stopped and have -a plug gauge :inserted in their vn'eclcopening. If the bottles meet -a -,predetermined standard, they are .permitted to .continue along the conveyor [to apparatus which removes the bottles :from the conveyor andplaces them in the annealing oven. :On .theother hand, if-the-bottlesdo notmeet ia-predetermi-ned istandard, they are :automatically removed from the conveyor.

.Referring more specifically to the drawings, :reference numeral 1-10 tdesignates ,generally (a bottle .or other eon- .tainer which .is carried by a continuously operating end- .lesstconveyor 11 through .the'gauging apparatus. :In .the .present instance, the gauging apparatus of :the present invention .is positioned intermediate a bottle casting machine and an annealing oven for 'the purpose :of stestring (the -.b.ottles prior to their insertion in the annealing .oven. The bottles are positioned :on the continuously [moving conveyor 11 at ;predetermined intervals z-byapositio'ning apparatus (not shown) which is synchronized :with rthe speed'of theconveyor and with the operating cycle of the gauging apparatus. This construction fpermits simplification of the controls *o'fztheggauging apparatus as more ffully described hereinafter.

.IIn --a'ceordance with :the 'present Zinvention, means are :provided to: position the bottles :cent'rallymf -.the'.e'onveyor rand:to-momentarilystop the'bottles beneath the gauging TO ithis :end, a ;,pair "of guide plates 12, 12 are adjustahly "mounted as indicated at 14, '14 -in Fig. "3, atiio'pposite sides of the'conveyor 11"to-a;frame 13 which supports the conveyor 11 sand ggauging'apparatus. The lgu'ideiplates :12, 512 extend inwardl'y tow'ards the-central portion bf the fconveyor and terminate in forwardl-y s'eon'verging guide surfaces 15, .15 whic h direct the bottles towardsithe longitudinal centeriline of -the con veyor 11. .The -adjustable mounting. of the guide 1 plates, as indicated 'at M, '14, Fig. 3, permits the guide plates to beposi- :tioned :t'ransversely :of theconveyor '1-1-to accommodate to :different size containers. A Ware positione'r and ej'ec'tor 16 .:is adapted to be momentarilyprojected into the :path of thebbj'e'cts on the conveyor to momentarily stop the: objectsbeneath the gauging apparatus as-more fully described hereinafter. The=forward surface of the posit-inner -16lis provided with za :heat resistant pa'd 16a, formed, for example, of as'bestos orlikematerial to' prewent chillingof'the containers as they eontact th'e posi- "tio'ner 16.

After the object'to be tested is stopped beneath the gauging apparatus, a plug gauge 17 is quickly lowered and raised, and-if the-bottle meets the required standard, the plug gaug'e enters and is removed from the-neck df'the hottl'eandthebot'tle ispermitted to advance. Ont-he other hand, if the bottle neck is restricted in any way or if the plug gauge is not permitted to enter the bottle neck, the bottle is automatically rejected from the conveyor 11 as more fully described hereinafter.

As previously described, the gauging apparatus of the present invention is designed to be positioned intermediate of a bottle casting machine and an annealing oven. Accordingly, the containers will be very hot as they enter the gauging apparatus and means must be provided to prevent the plug gauge 17 from chilling the containers. In addition, glass is a very hard and abrasive material and the plug gauge must be constructed of a wear resistant material which is proof against distortion. To this end, the plug gauge 17 is constructed, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and comprises a central steel core 17a having a covering or sheath 171) which is molded of a heat and wear resistant plastic material containing asbestos fibres.

In accordance with the present invention, operation of the gauging apparatus is controlled by means of a timing valve 18. The timing valve 18 may be of the rotary type, as illustrated schematically in Fig. l, which comprises a stationary casing 21 and a rotary valve element 22 positioned centrally of the casing 21. Air is admitted, under pressure, to a central opening 23 of the rotary valve element 22 from the main feedline 2t), and is permitted to escape alternately through outlets 24, 25 and 26 in the valve casing. The timing valve 18 is actuable to control the operation of the gauging apparatus and is synchronized with the speed of the conveyor so that the plug gauge 17 is lowered and raised each time that a bottle is properly positioned beneath the gauging apparatus. As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the timing valve 18 may be actuated by means of a sprocket 18a driven by a chain 18b from a smaller sprocket 180 which in turn has a mechanical driving connection 19 to a gear 1% driven by the conveyor drive mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the rotary valve element rotates in the clockwise direction with respect to Fig. 1, thereby first permitting air to escape through the outlet 24. The outlet 24 is then closed and air is permitted to escape through the outlet 25 which is then closed and outlet 26 is opened. An elongated slot 240 is associated with the outlet 24 to permit the outlet 24 to remain open for a relatively long period of time for the purpose more fully described hereinafter.

The outlet 25 communicates with an inlet opening 27 in a sliding spool valve 28 by means of the air line 29. The spool valve 28 in turn has a pair of outlet openings 31 and 32, therein, which permit air, under pressure, to be admitted to the upper and lower ends respectively of an air cylinder 33. Positioned interiorly of the spool valve 28 is a piston 34 formed, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 1, which provides upper and lower pressure chambers 35 and 36, respectively, in the spool valve 28. When the timing valve 18 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein air, under pressure, is permitted to pass through the outlet opening 25 and is admitted to the top of the piston 34, the piston is forced downwardly, thereby permitting air under pressure to pass through the upper pressure chamber 35 in the spool valve 28. The air enters the upper chamber 35 through an inlet opening 37 which communicates with the feed line 29, passes through the upper chamber 35 and through the outlet 31 into the upper end of the air cylinder 33. By this construction, the piston 38 of the air cylinder 33 is forced downwardly when air is permitted to escape through the outlet opening 25 to overcome the bias of a spring 39 compressed between the piston 34 and the housing of the valve 28. The air below the piston 38 escapes through the ports 32 and 42 of the valve 28.

Further rotation of the valve element 22 will shut off the air supply through the opening 25 to the upper surface of the piston 34, and permit air to be exhausted from the chamber communicating with the upper surface of the piston 34, for example, through the check valve 29a in the air line 29. The check valve 29a has a normally closed port to the atmosphere which opens when the back pressure in the line 29 exceeds a predetermined value. In this position of the timing valve 18, the piston 34- of the spool valve 28 is forced upwardly by means of the spring 39, thereby permitting air, under pressure, to be passed through the lower pressure chamber 36 and out of the outlet opening 32, which, in turn, communicates with the lower surface of the piston 38 of the air cylinder 33. Thus, in this position of the timing valve 18, the piston 38 is raised. When air under pressure is forced into one end of the air cylinder 33, the other end of the air cylinder 33 is opened to the atmosphere through the exhaust opening 41 in the spool valve 28. As illustrated in Fig. 1, piston rod 43 of the air cylinder 33 extends out through both ends of the air cylinder 33 and has the plug gauge 17 removably secured to its lower end, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 6. By this construction, rotation of the valve element 22 of the timing valve 13, will cause the piston 38 in the air cylinder 33 to make a rapid downward and upward stroke, thereby momentarily inserting the plug gauge 17 into the neck of a bottle which is positioned beneath the plug gauge. The piston rod 43 has at its upper extremity a switch-operating member 51 which is positioned to engage and actuate a switch 52 for controlling a timer 53 for a purpose more fully described hereinafter. The air cylinder 33 is carried by a platform adjustably mounted to the frame 13, for example, as indicated at 39, 39 in Fig. 2, to permit relative vertical positioning of the plug gauge 17 with respect to the conveyor 11 to accommodate bottles of various heights.

The timing valve 18 also controls the operation of the ware positioner and ejector 16 through the medium of an ejector cylinder 44. The ware positioner and ejector 16 is secured to one end of a piston rod 45 which extends outwardly through the forward end of the ejector cylinder 44. The ejector 16 is actuated to its forward and rearward limit positions by admitting air under pressure to the rear and forward ends of the ejector cylinder 44. Admittance of air to the ejector cylinder is controlled by the timing valve 18 and solenoid valve 48, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Rotation of the valve element 22 of the timing valve 18 in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in Fig. 1, cuts off the supply of air to the line 29 and causes the piston 38 of the cylinder 33 to retract upwardly, as described above. Further rotation of the valve element 22 admits pressure air to the outlet 26 in the valve casing 21. The air from the outlet 26 passes through the feed line 47 to the forward end of the ejector cylinder 44, thereby exerting retractive pressure on the forward face of the piston 46, causing the ejector 16 to be retracted to the position illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 1. During the retraction stroke of the ejector 16, air is exhausted from the rear chamber of the cylinder 44 to the atmosphere through the check valve 43a which has a normally closed port to the atmosphere which opens when the back pressure from the cylinder 44 exceeds a predetermined value. Thus, the ejector 16 is retracted after the plug gauge 17 is withdrawn from the bottle, to permit the conveyor 11 to carry the bottle it) past the gauging station.

When the valve element continues its rotation to cut off the supply of air to the opening 26, the piston 46 in the cylinder 44 is retained in its retracted limit position until air is admitted behind the piston to advance it. Further advancement of the valve element 22 of the timing valve 18 puts the line it in communication with the opening 24 by means of the elongated slot 24-11. However, air is not admitted behind the piston 46 until the timer 53 operates to energize and open a timing valve 43 positioned in the line leading from the outlet 24 to the rear chamber of the cylinder 44.

The timer 53 operates to energize the valve 48 after a predetermined time dela i a'ridmeintains'the solenoid 5'4 eher-gized' for' a predetermined period, fo'i extrmple'g a period correspondirig' -to 90 dogree'siofi rot'a tion -o'f the 6th" ing varl-ve' 18". This' p'eriod of ehe'r'giza ti'ohofi'the solenoid 54- is' indicated by" the brokenlihes A on the 'tiriliflg valve shown in Fig; 1 Energizirtion of the soienoid 54 opens thevelve 48 to admit pressure air t'o therear ohani'be'f of the" cylinder 44:- The air: advances the: piston to p'osi tion=the ejector 1'6 across theconveyor; as showii in fiill lines in: Fig 1'. The advarioe' of the pistoh 4'6 exhausts air from: theforward cylinder chamber.

Further rotation of the valve element 2??) outs on the supply of' ressure air to" the line 49's'irnu1ttirieou'slywith the;- deenergiz'a'tioh' of the solenoid 54 at the eiid' of the period A -but-the pistoir 46'rem'airis ih its" forward ositioh until the' ressure air is adihitteto the "'forWar-d chamber on the" cylinder by the liiie 4 the ejector 1 6 is rhziinta'ind in" a position"- over he: cohve'yor 11 t'o'iirterrupt the travel of a bo't'tl' I arid' pdsitioh' i't' be'tweeri the guide elements" 12; 1" in registrywith the plug gauge letter ex'empiees s'ho-Wn in Fig. 3: 'Ftifither ro't'ition of the Vl-Ve' elerrieht 22 introduces p'reis's'ilfe air to the-spool Valve" 28 to cause the pluggauge 17' to e'ri-tei the bottle r" now positionea thereb'elbw' against the ejector 16'. Further rotation oh the valve eierrieht zz eeu the-plu gauge to be retracted and the a'hhve deseribed operation i =re15eated.--

The resent: inventionprovides hiehn's for' ejecting a hottle if it prevents the pluggauge 17 f'r'orfiadveheihg to its lo'Wer' limit p'o'sitiohi- It shouldhe noted the't the pllig gauge ll7'ehter's the 'bot-tle'llli the shfi'tbh dperi' tor 51 o erates the switch 2F to s'tant the" oyole' of tHe ti-nier 53$ Thii's the str'rt of tlie'tirriizfg oi c'le ihdrc't'ed at Bin Figl tirfie'r mei-ntz'iins th'e V21 d enie'i' gi zed" anti cl'o's'e'th uhtih the portion 6f the cycle itidice'te'd at A ih-Fig; l i's'fach'ed zi'ccord'ance-with the' invention,- ifi the gauge 1 7" isheld against downwi'rdrnovrhent, for ekel'riil'i'le' fec'tioh' in thebottle, the switch operator 5*1 fails" toot: eratethe swit'eh se'so th'afia new timin eyele'i's not started atpoihfBi In this event; the tirrier ct'irltinue's to-mtiilifa'in the"volt/e 18-de-energizeduntil the cycle o f th e timer rims out at point Gas" showh in- Fig. 1. Thus; the-eyeleof the timer' is more than 36O'deg rees-of the cycle of the tiihing' valve 1 8; The timer doesn'ot affect the" opefatioh or the timing valve rs" and the vdlv'e element 2'2 admits pressure fluid to the line 4 7 to defuse r'etfrctiori or the ejec'tdr1 6} However, iih'r'n'edia'teli after retraction o'f'the ejector '16, and 'upon'fnrther' rotation" of the valve element 22', the'tinier eorh l'etes'it's-cyel'e to cause eiierg'lzh'tionof the solenoid 54 and consequently, opening o'f tlle' Valiie 4 '8. "Phil's, when pressu'reflulil isadin'i't't h'y theo'pei-atio-n of the va'lve'e'leineht 22; thep'ressiire air is ad'rn'itted tothe reztr' cylinder clla'rntie'i of a; cy'lih'cler l -l oan's'ing the piston 46 toadvance and therebyengage the li'ottleflmwhich" the ejector has-just'pertnif d t'o ad'van'i with the" conveyor belt' l lt Thus, Lipon filrtlier a'd' vitic'e o f'the' valve" element 221 the bottle is e'jecteti frohithecon v'eyo'r by the'ejector' 1 6; for example zts iridicztted ihbrokeh hhe'sinFig. 1'.

The timer 53' is of the type ih'which, when the timing cycler'uns out, another cycle starts o'nl y when the timer is actuated by the switch 521 Thus; after the valve 48'-is opened to-e'ject the imp'er'fectbot'tle, the valve remaih's open and the operation continues" as normal urit'ilith'e point" B is reached' ett which time a new ti'rnin'g eyeie is cohirh'enced' by reason-oi the'closur'e of the switch 5 2. It, bee'auseot a'defective'bottle', the swit'ch'52 isnot closed; the timer remains inoperative and the solenoid is'heldf ehe'i'gii'e'di When the valve element-if-piissesinto-registhy with the slot 2 th; the detective Bottle-1h isrejeeted'by advancement of tlie ejector f6. typical timerwhieh r'nziy'lieu'sed to accomplish this r'e snlt 'isth'e noh-synchrd hotiselectronic timer, type'3tlC R'3" Model 1060"ri1attiiiitic {tiredby'Pho'toswiteh; Inc, Cdmbi'idge; Mas'si Thus-the timing cytcle is prevented-from runningtoutantl is restarfed'it the 'filugtgztuge l'l'is permitted-to fill-1y enten the neekof thebottle' being tested." To thisertd the swith operating: member 51 is operable' to rnomentai ily'close the switch 52 whe'n the piston: rod 43 reaches" its lower limit position; Actuation of the switch 52 prevents ejectioh of the bottles ltffronr-the conveyor 1*1 as d'es'cribed; If ffli examplepthe opehinginthe neck of-the bottle-is restricted; as illustrated iri Fig: 7', or the: neck of: the bottle: is not exactly vertical as illustr ate'd' inFig; 8,-. the" pist0n rdd '4'3 cannot make a complete? dottin-warkl stroke and the" switch 52' will hot-be closed; If the sW-itclP 5 2 is not clos'ed'when' a'ir'i's admitted tothe upper surfac'e'ofi the piston 38* the timing cycle cont-rolled by the timer 53" runs out and the" solenoid operated-- valve 48' is energized there-by ctt using a rapid forward stroke of the ware positione'i and ejector. If'on the other hand the" switch 52" is elose'd the timing cycle of the timer is restarted at point B in Fig. 1 and thus I the solenoid 54 is not energized -un-tili the timing period designated: generally by the letter" A is reached;

To illustrate this, suppose that the bottles mover sue ees'sively iiit o osition at succes ive iiite'l vals of I11 "e tenths" of one second: If the plug auge 17' entefi a bottle neek the control switch 52" is closed and restarts the ti'ntiei so that the solenoid valve is not energized: orr the" other" ha'nd; if the plu g gauge 17 is I not perm tted to oiitr e-rieek' o'f a pertieul-a'r'bottle the s'With S'Z-Will no'ti be closed and the tiini'rig c'yole' already in progress will r'tih out thereby energ'i the solenoid valve 483 The fiitofieritioti of the coiitroi switch 52 will agoiir Stiff the timer 53.

operation of the inter 53is -s yn'chrohizeii with opera t'io'rio'f the tiiiil'rlg' ve'ilv 18*so' thatt tlie" olenoid: valve48 will energized; if the plfig" getige' 17 is"- notpermitted e neck of at bottle, irrirrrefliately'after the tirn 8 coi1ses' the were positioh'er and-*- ejector" to to The time interval between retractionof the whreoositioher" arid ejeotor'lo aiid operation of the solenoiu velve 48 is such that the solenoid valve 48"eanses the Ware positioner and ejector 16 to-b'e advaridedwheii imperfect bottle which dicl= not p'errnit' the switch 52 tobe l'o's'e'd has been moved by the conveyor 11'to' apos" irr tro'nt ofi the=w'arepositioner and ejector 1 6." B'y' this' eoh'str'iietioh; it ma be seen that any bottle which does not permit complete entry ofthe lug gauge 17- ihto its neck o ening will be autotiiatiotrl-ly ejeeted tr rh hecoiivevor 1*1.

Fr'oni the' foreigoih'g, it vv'ill be observed that the-present' inverit'ioh provides rio'ver bottle g'etilgihg apparatus opei one to predeteriiiiri'edly position a' bottle" beneath the gau in app this and automotiettlly insert a p'ltlgi ofp'redeteriniri'eil dienhete'r" info the neck opening or? the bottl'e'f to determinewhether or not theneck op'ehing is' siiifiien'tl? ltirg and also to detefrhine whether on not the neck of the bottle is vertiea-l: Furthermore; it will be observed that" the present invention provides novel Bottle" ttu'gitr apparatus operable to autb'tn'il'tieally reject a Bottle which does not meet a hre'detrniihed sthndard:

Whilea; partiti'iilar eihhodinieiit 6f the'pres'entinventibn has be'eh illilst'rat'ed and described herein, it is notiri tended to li'thit the ifiveh'tioh to such a' disclosure and changes and modifications may be inc'orpor'a' ted wd em= bodied thereinthe scope of the following claihis':

1i In -dppeira'tfis' for uging th'dpen'ir'lg of a' cohtainer; a eonve or for" a'dvfiifcihg' the container pttsta gouging statio'h;- a gan eelethe'nt' rh'orinteli adjacent saidconveyor at said station and displaceable to an inner limit'positi'onwithin the opiening theeontttiner, container positioriin means at said station including a' member nortrially dis= p'os'eli across the conveyor in the" path of movement of so cohtt't-iner'to engage the" shine and predetermihedly p on the ohehing thereofi in r'gistry'with'said g'ahge ele'm'titg- Ojira'fifig ni'ahs to bias" said gauge element; to

its inner limit position in said opening, and retract the same, said positioning means operable upon the com pletion of operation of said operating means to effect removal of the member from the path of the container to cause the conveyor to advance said container through said gauging station, said positioning means operable upon removal of said member to project the latter back across the conveyor into engagement with said container and eject the latter from said conveyor, and means rendered operable by movement of said gauge element to its inner limit position to delay the last-mentioned operation of the positioning means until the conveyor has advanced the container past the gauging station and out of the path of movement of said member.

2. In apparatus for gauging the openings of containers, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing a succession of containers past a gauging station, a reciprocal gauge element mounted adjacent said conveyor at said station and displaceable to an inner limit position Within the opening in a container, container positioning means at said station including a member normally disposed across the conveyor in the path of movement of said containers to successively engage each container and predeterminedly position the opening thereof in registry With said gauge element, operating means to bias said gauge element to its inner limit position in said opening, and retract the same, said positioning means operable upon the completion of operation of said operating means to effect removal of the member from the path of the container to cause the conveyor to advance said container through said gauging station, said positioning means operable upon removal of said member to project the latter back across the conveyor into engagement with said container and eject the latter from said conveyor, and means rendered operable by movement of said gauge element to its inner limit position to delay the last-mentioned operation of the positioning means until the conveyor has advanced the container past the gauging station and out of the path of movement of said member, and before the advance of the next container of said succession into the gauging station.

3. In apparatus for gauging the opening of a container, a continuously operating apron conveyor for advancing the container past a gauging station, an elongated gauge element mounted adjacent said conveyor at said station and displaceable axially to an inner limit position within the opening in the container, guide means at said gauging station to engage and position said container laterally on said conveyor, container positioning means at said station including a member normally disposed across the conveyor in the path of movement of said container to engage the same and retain it against movement with the conveyor to position the opening thereof in axial registry with said gauge element, operating means to bias said gauge element to its inner limit position in said opening, and retract the same, said positioning means operable upon the completion of operation of said operating means to effect removal of the member from the path of the container to cause the conveyor to advance said container through said gauging station, said positioning means operable upon removal of said member to project the latter back across the conveyor into engagement with said container and eject the latter from said conveyor, and means rendered operable by movement of said gauge element to its inner limit position to delay the last-mentioned operation of the positioning means until the conveyor has advanced the container past the gauging station and out of the path of movement of said member.

4. In apparatus for gauging the opening of a container, a conveyor for advancing the container past a gauging station, a gauge element mounted adjacent said conveyor at said station and displaceable to an inner limit position within the opening in the container, container positioning means at said station including a member normally disposed across the conveyor in the path of movement of said conveyor to engage the same and predeterminedly position the opening thereof in registry with said gauge element, operating means to bias said gauge element to its inner limit position in said opening, and retract the same, switch means actuated by displacement of said gauge element to its inner limit position, said positioning means, upon the completion of operation of said operating means, operable to efiect removal of the member from the path of the container to cause the conveyor to advance said container through said gauging station, said positioning means operable upon removal of said member to project the latter back across the conveyor into engagement with said container and eject the latter from said conveyor, and timing mechanism rendered operable by actuation of said switch means to delay the last-mentioned operation of the positioning means until the conveyor has advanced the container past the gauging station and out of the path of movement of said member.

5. In apparatus for gauging the opening of a container, a conveyor for advancing the container past a gauging station, a gauge element mounted adjacent said conveyor at said station and displaceable to an inner limit position Within the opening in the container, a limit switch actuated by displacement of said element to said inner limit portion, container positioning means at said station including a member normally disposed across the conveyor in the path of movement of said container to engage the same and predeterminedly position the opening thereof in registry with said gauge element, operating means to bias said gauge element to its inner limit position in said opening, and retract the same, said positioning means first operable upon the completion of operation of said operating means to effect removal of the member from the path of the container to cause the conveyor to advance said container through said gauging station, said positioning means secondly operable upon removal of said member to project the latter back across the conveyor into engagement with said container and eject the latter from said conveyor, a rotary timing valve effecting successively the operation of said operating means, the first operation of said positioning means, and the second operation of said positioning means, and timing mechanism rendered operable by actuation of limit switch to delay the last-mentioned operation of the positioning means until the conveyor has advanced the container past the gauging station and out of the path of movement of said member.

6. In apparatus for gauging the openings of containers, a continuously operating apron conveyor for advancing a succession of containers past a gauging station, an elongated gauge element mounted for axial reciprocation adjacent said conveyor at said station and displaceable to an inner limit position within the opening in a container, a limit switch actuated by displacement of said element to said inner position, guide means at said gauging station to engage and position the containers laterally on said conveyor, conveyor positioning means at said station including a member normally disposed across the conveyor in the .path of movement of said containers to successively engage each container and retain it against movement with the conveyor to predeterminedly position the opening thereof in axial registry with said gauge element, operating means to bias said gauge element to its inner limit position in said opening, and retract the same, said positioning means first operable upon the completion of operation of said operating means to effect removal of the member from the path of the container to cause the conveyor to advance said container through said gauging station, said positioning means secondly operable upon removal of said member to project the latter back across the conveyor into engagement with said container and eject the latter from said conveyor, a rotary timing valve effecting successively the operation of said operating means, the first operation of said positioning means, and the second operation of said positioning means, and timing 9 mechanism rendered operable by actuation of said limit switch to delay the last-mentioned operation of the positioning means until the conveyor has advanced the container past the gauging station and out of the path of movement of said member, and before the advance of the next container of said succession into the gauging station.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Wardley Apr. 30, 1935 Ohrn Oct. 27, 1936 Whitehead June 16, 1942 Fedorchak June 20, 1944 Fedorchak Mar. 20, 1945 Darrah Sept. 3, 1946 Pomeroy Apr. 17, 1951 McNutt May 13, 1952 

